Lawsuit against The Atlantic fuels press freedom concerns Meera walkout puts focus on Irshad Bhatti's interview ethics One article, no newsroom: Viral piece sparks debate on Pakistan media From regulation to resignations: Pakistan's media fault lines Asia press freedom: A week of pressure and progress Five reasons slow news days strengthen journalism Press freedom review: Detentions, digital control, and industry upheaval Chilling effect in media: The unseen pressure behind newsroom decisions South Asia sees 250 media rights violations in a year Media coverage of violence against women falls sharply globally Attack on Assamese newspaper deepens press safety concerns London arrests over Iran International attack The JournalismPakistan Global Media Brief | Edition 16 | April 17, 2026 Jahanzaib Haque takes helm as Nukta chief editor Khaleej Times at 48: A legacy newspaper navigating the digital age Lawsuit against The Atlantic fuels press freedom concerns Meera walkout puts focus on Irshad Bhatti's interview ethics One article, no newsroom: Viral piece sparks debate on Pakistan media From regulation to resignations: Pakistan's media fault lines Asia press freedom: A week of pressure and progress Five reasons slow news days strengthen journalism Press freedom review: Detentions, digital control, and industry upheaval Chilling effect in media: The unseen pressure behind newsroom decisions South Asia sees 250 media rights violations in a year Media coverage of violence against women falls sharply globally Attack on Assamese newspaper deepens press safety concerns London arrests over Iran International attack The JournalismPakistan Global Media Brief | Edition 16 | April 17, 2026 Jahanzaib Haque takes helm as Nukta chief editor Khaleej Times at 48: A legacy newspaper navigating the digital age
Logo
Janu
If Veena were an editor

Absar Alam and Matiullah Jan slam Dunya News analyst Haroon ur Rasheed

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 17 October 2018

Join our WhatsApp channel

Absar Alam and Matiullah Jan slam Dunya News analyst Haroon ur Rasheed
Absar Alam, the former PEMRA head, condemned Dunya News analyst Haroon ur Rasheed for purportedly threatening a police officer. Matiullah Jan also demanded a public apology from Haroon, prompting calls for accountability within the media industry.

ISLAMABAD - In a hard-hitting tweet Absar Alam (pictured), former head of PEMRA, called columnist Haroon Rashid a blackmailer and asked Dunya News to take action against him.

Alam, politically aligned with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, was reacting to a tweet of Waqt News journalist Matiullah Jan over an alleged phone call made by Haroon ur Rasheed in which he threatens a police officer over the arrest of an individual.

In his tweet, Alam said: “Has this puppet ever apologised on abuse of media power, fake news, abusive language while dancing to the tunes of his masters? This blackmailer behaves like a ‘firaun’ pressuring & threatening a police officer to free an accused. @DunyaNews must take action against him. Shame!”

For Mati, himself no stranger to controversies, the call was “unbelievable.” He asked Haroon to apologize. “Unbelievable! MR. Haroon Rashid must clarify about this. If true, he must apologise. In my 23 years of journalistic career I have never called a policeman for any accused & talked in this manner. Hope a clarification comes from @DunyaNews too as it’s name has apparently been used.”

Photo: Twitter (@AbsarAlamHaider)

Key Points

  • Absar Alam accused Haroon of blackmailing and threatening law enforcement.
  • Matiullah Jan called for clarification and an apology from Haroon.
  • Alam urges Dunya News to take action against Haroon ur Rasheed.
  • The incident reflects ongoing concerns about media ethics in Pakistan.
  • Both journalists are known for their controversial public statements.

Ask AI: Understand this story your way

AI Enabled

Dig deeper, ask anything — get instant context, background, and clarity.

Not sure what to choose? Try one of these.

The AI generates results based on your selected options
Your AI-generated results will appear here after you click the button.

Disclaimer: This feature is powered by AI and is intended to help readers explore and understand news stories more easily. While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated responses may occasionally be incomplete or reflect limitations in the underlying model. This feature does not represent the editorial views of JournalismPakistan. For our full, verified reporting, please refer to the original article.

Explore Further

Newsroom
Lawsuit against The Atlantic fuels press freedom concerns

Lawsuit against The Atlantic fuels press freedom concerns

 April 21, 2026 Kash Patel's defamation suit against The Atlantic has intensified scrutiny of legal pressures on journalists and raised concerns about press freedom.


Meera walkout puts focus on Irshad Bhatti's interview ethics

Meera walkout puts focus on Irshad Bhatti's interview ethics

 April 20, 2026 Irshad Bhatti's podcast interview with actor Meera drew criticism after he pressed personal topics and Meera walked out, sparking debate over media accountability.


One article, no newsroom: Viral piece sparks debate on Pakistan media

One article, no newsroom: Viral piece sparks debate on Pakistan media

 April 20, 2026 Dan Qayyum's viral article drew one million views in days, igniting debate about independent creators' reach and what it means for Pakistan's newsrooms.


Asia press freedom: A week of pressure and progress

Asia press freedom: A week of pressure and progress

 April 19, 2026 Across Asia, journalists faced growing legal pressure, expanded surveillance and attacks on media outlets, even as a key appointment boosted gender diversity.


Five reasons slow news days strengthen journalism

Five reasons slow news days strengthen journalism

 April 19, 2026 Slow news days give journalists time to verify facts, pursue in-depth reporting, and reduce errors, strengthening overall newsroom accuracy and long-form storytelling.


Popular Stories